Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a coat that is kept in a variety of public places, that can be lent to anyone who does not possess one.

1850		C. Kingsley Cheap Clothes 11: In some sweating places there is an old coat kept called a ‘reliever’, and this is borrowed by such men as have none of their own to go out in.
1873		Sl. Dict. 268: Reliever a coat worn in turn by any party of poor devils whose wardrobes are in pawn.
1922–24		O.O. McIntyre White Light Nights 20: There is not a ‘reliever shop’ left. In these cellar hutches the outcast changed his shoes for those a little more worn to obtain in addition the price of a drink.

2. (Uk und.) burglary tools, e.g. a crowbar, skeleton keys.

1899

Sketch (London) 22 Feb. 18: ‘I didn’t have the togs fer ter bust er house with, ’cause yer can’t carry around a lot of “relievers” (that’s jimmies an’ bars an’ false keys)’.

3. (US tramp) a dealer in old clothes who buys from severely impoverished vagrants.

1917

O.O. McIntyre ‘New York Day by Day’ 25 Nov. [synd. col.] A reliever is ostensibly in the cast-off clothing business but his speciality is to prey upon men who have fallen to the down and out stage.

4. (US tramp) in pl., shoes.

1926		N. Klein ‘Hobo Lingo’ in AS I:12 652: Relievers—shoes.
1931		Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 157: Relievers.–Shoes, no doubt since a good pair often relieves the foot troubles to which many tramps are subject, especially when they have been forced to wear old and worn-out foot-gear.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 815: relievers – Shoes.

5. (Irish) slippers.

1997

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